Report of Doctor Deployment to Soma city

Four doctors, Drs Izumo, Watada, Makinodan and Ashitate, from Boston-Japan Medical Relief Initiative (BJMRI) left for Soma city in Fukushima prefecture to provide medical supports to evacuees from coastal areas engulfed by tsunami on March 11th.

Overview of Soma City

Soma and Minami Soma are coastal cities of Fukushima prefecture and approximately 10-30 miles north of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant where the nuclear accident followed the tsunami disaster. The cities cannot manage to provide a basic life to the evacuees from tsunami-affected areas and neighborhood of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. Many evacuees remained staying in shelters, where medical cares are far below the optimal.

Brief Medical Report

Medical Support Group in Soma City:

9 shelters were founded in Soma city. Medical cares were provided collaboratively by All Japan Hospital Association (AJHA) team, Ishikawa prefecture Japan Medical Association Team (JMAT), Shizuoka Prefecture JMAT, and medical support team from Tokyo Medical University

BJMRI doctors joined the Soma city medical support group as a member of AJHA. Dr Izumo temporarily directed the medical supports in Soma city as the representative of AJHA.

Dr. Makinodan joined “Kokoro no Kea (Care of Mind)” team which is organized by Fukushima Medical University, composed of psychiatrists all over Japan.